The epitaxial SrAl2O4:Eu2+ films with an out-of-plane orientation (200)//sapphire (0001) were achieved on c-plane sapphire substrates after post-annealing at 900-1000 degrees C. The increase in the oxygen partial pressure during a sputtering led to the superior crystallinity and the change of Al/Sr atomic ratio of films, enhancing a green emission at 530 nm under 340 nm excitation. However, after post-annealing at 1100 degrees C {(1) over bar0 (1) over bar} as well as {200} peaks in XRD strongly appeared, consequently the emission intensity decreased. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.